Research impact
The Faculty of Education at Western is a leader in advancing knowledge through research and knowledge mobilization. Our researchers strive to enhance the learning and well-being of children, youth, and adults. We seek to engage with academic and community partners, advancing policy and professional practice. Our faculty members, students, and community partners collaborate to advance social equity. We involve students throughout our research, enriching experiential learning.
Research strengths of the Faculty of Education include Indigenous Research; Applied Linguistics; Behaviour, Learning and Neuroscience; Curriculum Studies; Global and International Studies; Mental Health; Violence Prevention; Policy and Leadership; Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion.
Towards Western at 150
Greater Impact
Greater Impact
Our Commitment
Engage with community partners throughout the research process, for mutual benefit
- Research grants included collaborations with 40 distinct partners through SSHRC Partnership and Connection grants
- Teacher education office engaged with the Ontario Teacher’s Federation and other faculties of education to conduct research related to teacher education
- 86 national and 20 international partners through the SSHRC Partnership and Connections Program.
Share our work broadly by increasing our publications and academic research impact
- Faculty produced 163 publications and received 546 citations in 2024
- Western Education makes significant jump in Maclean’s rankings to third overall.
- Applied Psychology Academic Research Cluster Google Scholar Activity
- Curriculum Studies and Studies in Applied Linguistics Academic Research Cluster Google Scholar Activity
- Critical Policy, Equity, and Leadership Studies Academic Research Cluster Google Scholar Activity
- Dr. Claire Crooks, received the Innovator of the Year Vanguard Award (along with P. Jaffe, D. Wolfe, and R. Hughes), World Discoveries
- Dr. Danielle Sirek awarded Research-Creation, Mobilization & Innovation and Mitacs Accelerate
- Dr. Donna Kotsopoulos awarded SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant
- Dr. Jacqueline Specht and Dr. Nicole Neil awarded SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant
Expand knowledge mobilization to reach more diverse audiences
- Faculty and their research were referenced in 162 news mentions in 2025
- Dr. Candace Brunette, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Universities Need to Revisit Their Founding Stories
- Dr. Prachi Srivastava, Education expert outlines 3 core pillars of emergency educational recovery / Interview
- Visiting Speakers Talk: Dr. Sean (Shuying) Li, Shenzen University, China
- Researching Lived Experience – Emerging School of Thoughtful Pedagogy in Responding to the Technologizing World
Contribute to policy and professional practice
- Faculty of Education research has received 94 policy citations, as indexed in Scopus in 2024
- Professor Colin King, the Director of the Mary J. Wright Child and Youth Development Clinic, receives the Contributions to School Psychology Award from the Canadian Psychological Association
- In partnership with the British Columbia government and Capilano University, the Early Childhood Pedagogy Network (ECPN) project was renewed for an additional year
- Drs. Jason Brown and Marguerite Lengyell from Western University were awarded a SSHRC Insights Grant to discover how much COVID impacted low-income Canadians’ access to counselling services
- Dr. Nicole Neil serves on the Applied Behaviour Analysis Working Group developing registration requirements and policies to facilitate the registration of Ontario practitioners of Applied Behaviour Analysis
- Dr. Katreena Scott and project team created the most comprehensive competency framework that Canada has for the gender-based violence sector
- A collaboration between the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children, Canadian Labour Congress and FETCO offers tools for unions and federally regulated employers to implement workplace policies on employee domestic violence and sexual harassment, including risk assessment, policy development resources and training
- 17,314 people participated in Learning Network online events, including the joint Learning Network and Knowledge Hub Webinar Series to further enhance work in preventing and responding to gender-based violence (Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children)
- 3,253 participants joined Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children webinars and training for family law practitioners
- The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children awarded the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Grant for, in part, Western research on the cost of domestic violence and harassment in Canadian workplaces.
- The Centre for School Mental Health developed the Healthy Relationships Program to help build resilience and connections for children and teens, utilizing a four-year grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada
- Drs. Katelyn Bryant, Colin King, Nicole Neil, awarded a MCCSS Ontario Autism Program Workforce Capacity Fund - Innovation Stream grant to support a partnership between the Mary J. Wright Child and Youth Development Clinic (MJW-CYDC) and The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) to enhance Ontario Autism Program Core Clinical Service options for families with autism
- Dr. Rosanne Abdulla in collaboration with Dr. Kathy Hibbert and Clare Tattersall awarded funds to support Ontario French as a Second Language (FSL) initiatives
- Dr. Isha DeCoito appointed chair of Western University’s Non-medical Research Ethics Board (NMREB).
- Dr. Shannon Stewart is one of five Western researchers elected as a Fellow to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
- Dr. Namukasa and Dr. Gadanidis and Dr. Katchabaw (Computer Science, Western University) awarded SSRHC Connection grant entitled, “AI Education Outreach”. The project’s overall goal is to support the enhancement of practice and research related to an urgent area of national and international concern: the teaching and learning of AI, with attention to equitable participation and learner outcomes
Support Indigenous and anti-oppressive research
- Increased Indigenous research grants for faculty in FY 24-25
2021-2022 Faculty of Education Internal Grants
| Faculty Member | Project Title |
|---|---|
| Pacini-Ketchabaw, Veronica | Creating justice-oriented pedagogies with Black early childhood educators |
| Brunette, Candace Brandy | Decolonizing Western through Indigenous Stories Phase 2 |
| Debassige, Brent | First Nations Knowledge and Land-based Education in local Schooling Contexts |
2021-2022 Research Western Internal Grants
| Faculty Member | Project Title |
|---|---|
| Neeganagwedgin, Erica Lorna | Engaging with Elders/Knowledge Holders through the use of digital technology |
| Barillas Chon, David Wotsbely | Exploratory Investigation of Latinxs, Latin American, and Indigenous Migrants in Ontario |
| Brunette, Candace Brandy |
Decolonizing Western through Indigenous Stories Phase 2 |
Increase student participation in research, publishing, and knowledge mobilization
- Distributed 27 awards for students providing funds to travel to conferences to present their research
- Provided research expense support for masters and doctoral students
- Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education employs three research assistants
- Centre for School Mental Health employs three graduate student research assistants
- 16 undergraduate student research awards supported in 2022
- The Centre for School Mental Health at the Faculty of Education hosts summer studentships
- Kate Paterson, a fourth-year PhD student at Western Education, is providing teachers with the tools and strategies to increase inclusive and effective instruction with her book, Using home language as a resource in the classroom: A guide for teachers of English learners
- STEAM Education camp connects mathematics and computing to everyday life situations
- Education students organized and held the Robert MacMillan Symposium in Education in March 2023
- 3 Education graduate students were the recipients of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education Award 2023
- Dr. Donna Swapp (PhD Education, 2022) received the CASEA Thomas B Greenfield Dissertation Award
- Undergraduate Student Research Intern (USRI), Orko Oyon won first place in the USRI Conference Day Lightning Talks with “COVID-19's Impact on Arts Teacher Education"
- Abigail Withers was named winner of the London and Region FASD Conference 2023’s Award for Excellence – ePoster Presentation. The award recognizes the best research poster presented during the annual conference.
Ensure sufficient funding for faculty and student research
- Distributed 35 internal research and travel grants
- 63% of Education faculty members hold external grants
- 5 research-focused professional development sessions offered
- 11 knowledge mobilizations sessions offered, including 2 community speakers in 2023
- Research intensity score (total research income per faculty member) ↑ 58% in 2023
- The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children allocated a three-year grant of over 2 million dollars from Employment and Social Development Canada for further research on violence and harassment in the workplace. This grant will help facilitate innovative training for all federal sectors.
